Don't Forget the Pillow!

"Doc, what bed should I buy?" is a question I get quite frequently in my office. But, it is a much less frequent occurrence that people ask, "what pillow should I buy?" Both questions can be answered the same way. "It depends." Not a very direct answer for sure, but none of us are built the same. We all are comfortable in different positions, but I would recommend sleeping on your back or side to best support your natural spinal curves.

Many times, I hear of people that go out and spend a small fortune on a fancy, highly promoted mattress, but they won't spend more than $7.99 on a pillow from the local discount or close-out store. I can tell you this: Your neck and entire spine are not going to benefit from skimping on the pillow.

Some pillows are soft and some firm. Some made from foam and some from feathers. Some thick and some thin. Some are round and some have cut-outs to support your neck. Are you starting to see there are a lot of options here! Since we have so many options, it makes sense to me to look for a pillow that can give you different options for being a side-sleeper or a back-sleeper, and for the level of firmness that is just right for you.

One pillow that I find with these options is the Chiroflow Pillow. I use a Chiroflow pillow personally and I have them available for people that come into my office. The pillow has a foam layer on top and a water bladder on the bottom. The water bladder can be filled with different amounts of water to help you select the desired firmness. That also allows the support to move with you whether you are on your side or back, unlike some pillows that may be great if you sleep on your back, but give you no room for your head when you turn to your side.

According to the company's website, the Chiroflow pillow is, "the only cervical pillow with peer-reviewed published clinical proof of effectiveness."

Clinical sleep trials at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and at Logan College of Chiropractic showed that the Chiroflow pillow is preferred over other cervical pillows and that it improves the quality of sleep. Scientific studies have linked enhanced quality of sleep with improved quality of life.

Reports from my own patients indicate that people sleep better, have less discomfort and feel more rested when using the Chiroflow pillow. Some have even said their spouse snores less with the pillow.

The product comes with a small spout to attach to it so it is easy to fill. It also comes with clear instuctions for filling and recommendations for the amount of water for different firmness levels. Make sure you follow the instructions for getting extra air out of the bladder so you don't hear water sloshing around.

One downside to the pillow is the weight once you add the water. So, if you plan on traveling with your pillow you may want to look at the Chiroflow Travel Water Pillow. The only other con on my list is that it is more expensive than the second-hand, $7.99 pillow from the Dust-Mites-R-Us store.

Here's to a better night's sleep!

Pampered Employee Program

At Wimmer Chiropractic, we have a strong focus on community service. One of the ways we serve area businesses is through our "Pampered Employee Program". We go out to local businesses and provide relaxing chair massages, spinal stress screenings and answer questions about posture, ergonomics and spine care. These events help participants better deal with today's fast paced work environment and reduce tension/stress. Companies can show their employees that they are concerned about health and appreciate the hard work done by their workers. For business owners, the best part of our "Pampered Employee Program" is that we provide these events at no charge to the business!!!

Here is a short video from one of our recent events. Enjoy!

If you would like to schedule an event for your business or co-workers just give us a call at Wimmer Chiropractic.

Just In Time For Valentine's Day!!!

It's All About the Timing!

We should all know by now that regular exercise is a crucial component of keeping us healthy...right? But when should we exercise can be a much more difficult question to answer.

I see a lot of information that says that exercising in the late afternoon or early evening is the best time physiologically for your body. Your body temperature is higher, muscles and joints may be more flexible, it helps you unwind after a stressful day, etc. But, there can be some downsides to trying to exercise later in the day. I want to share my recent, personal experience on the subject.

If you are like me (I am by no stretch of the imagination a morning person...yet), then the thought of getting out of bed a little earlier to exercise seems to be out of the question. So, I always PLANNED to exercise when I got home from the office. Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned! I would get home a little late, or it took longer to get the kids to bed, or I was just a bit too tired to get myself to my basement where I exercise. Before I knew it, my exercise was becoming less consistent and the effects where starting to take a toll on my body. Stress levels increased, I put on a few pounds and had to loosen up the belt a little bit. So the theory that the evening is a better time for my body to exercise became irrelevant when I was barely doing it at all.

So, I decided to "suck it up" and drag my grumpy morning self out a bed earlier, get my workout clothes on and crawl to the basement to exercise. And guess what is happening...

I am exercising consistently over the last 4 weeks. I find my energy level is better throughout the day even without my previous overindulgence of and addiction to coffee (but that's another story). I am losing the weight that crept back on me when I was barely exercising as PLANNED in the evening. I even got to tighten the belt back up a notch. So for me exercising first thing in the morning has been a good thing. There are much fewer distractions and excuses to keep me from doing it!

I guess I really can't answer the original question of "When is the best time to exercise?"  because the answer is different for all of us. The important thing is to find the time that is right for YOU and maybe my personal experience will help you get on track with regular exercise. Of course to be really healthy, it is going to take more than just exercise. It is also important to eat a healthy diet, get proper rest and stay well hydrated. And, of course, as a chiropractor, I know that proper spinal care is a vital component in reaching optimal health!

Image: zirconicusso / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Chiropractic Wall of Fame

Ok...Admittedly it has been a long time since I have done a blog post! I guess reading some inspiring blogs from other chiropractors and other bloggers I know that are striving to live a healthier lifestyle, I started thinking more about it. So, tonight when I was leaving the office, I glanced over at our recently implemented "Wall of Fame" and the motivation hit me. The "Wall of Fame" displays patient success stories with chiropractic care. Enough about that...now back to the topic at hand.

When I looked at the "Wall of Fame" I started thinking about why are those stories up there and what do these people have in common? All  of these people entered our office with varying complaints such as chronic back pain, headaches, postural strains, auto injuries, etc. They all have had wonderful results with chiropractic, but why are their results so good and sometimes people have very limited results. As I look back on those cases, some things certainly stand out.

As a chiropractor, I have a job to do. That job is to find out what is causing the problem and figure out what I can do to assist in restoring a persons health, but it doesn't end there. The patient has a job to do as well. Sorry if that disappoints you, but YOU have to work at restoring your own health. I can lay out a plan, I can adjust your spine to reduce nerve stress and give you advice and home care instructions but you have to do your part.

The patients that have had the greatest improvement in health rarely, if ever, cancel or reschedule appointments. They make dietary changes when recommended. They avoid repetitive stresses, such as sitting at their desk all day without taking a break. They do their home exercises (and yes, we can tell when you have been doing those). In short...THEY STICK TO THE GAME PLAN!!!

If you have been living in pain and poor health, I want to help you, but you are going to have to put in some work too. With teamwork, before you know it, you could land yourself on our Chiropractic "Wall of Fame"!